10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- Estelle Reardon
- Oct 15
- 7 min read
Why Do Internships in High School?
Topics We Cover:
Neuroscience internships for high schoolers in Chicago, and in general, can lay the foundation for a successful career in fields like healthcare and research—providing first-hand insight into potential paths, building valuable skills, and connecting students with professionals.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Before exploring specific internships, it’s important to understand the significant role that such opportunities—like neuroscience internships for high school students in Chicago, and internships in general—can play in a student’s future. According to the consultancy PRISM, 70% of students attending U.S. News top 50 universities have completed an internship in high school.
High school internships provide a number of benefits in the college admissions process. They offer high schoolers the chance to demonstrate that they’ve pursued fields of interest, explored potential career paths, and built real-world experience—ultimately allowing them to make informed decisions about their future.
Engaging in a high school internship also makes it easier to secure college internships and research positions or gain admission to pre-professional societies and clubs like pre-medical and STEM-focused associations.
How to Find Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in Chicago
Online search tools and lists like StandOutSearch, or this helpful guide to summer programs and internships from MIT Admissions, are great places to begin searching for neuroscience internships for high school students in Chicago. StandOutSearch is the largest free online database of high school internships, and is easily searched using a wide range of filters, including:
Age
Format (online, in-person, hybrid)
Interest
Location
Season
While official internship programs are a great place to embark on your search for opportunities, the downside is that they’re typically extremely competitive. Consequently, students committed to earning an internship will want to form a cold outreach strategy—that is, a plan for contacting potential internship providers with the goal of landing a position.
Further below, you’ll find tips for creating a cold outreach strategy and email templates to simplify the process.
10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in Chicago
There’s more interest in neuroscience internships for high schoolers in Chicago than open positions—most of the opportunities listed below have acceptance rates below 20%. Aim to apply to at least five opportunities. When one stands out to you, mark its deadline so you don’t miss your chance.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect is a program designed to connect talented high school students with online internships that align with their interests in fields including finance, law, medicine, STEM, the arts, and more. The program is supported by StandOutSearch, the largest free database of high school internships, and has been featured in Forbes. It was developed with backing from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ages: Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Various Deadlines
High schoolers in this three-week summer program take undergraduate-level courses, engage in a research project, and participate in hands-on activities at the Univeristy of Chicago. Students are encouraged to explore their field of interest in depth, whether it’s creative writing, economic policy, or STEM.
During the program, students live in on-campus housing, take classes Monday through Friday, and get a glimpse of life as a college student.
Ages: Senior
Location: Various Locations
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
This program for high school seniors interested in exploring careers in research and healthcare places students in full-time research positions within the NIH Institute and Centers (IC), or in the NIH Intramural Research Program.
Interns work in research groups under a principal investigator in fields including biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences, and have the opportunity to explore basic, translational, and clinical research. Participants also engage in professional development, career advising, and skill building.
Ages: 15-18
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: May 1
Through the one-of-a-kind Elevate College Prep program, middle school and high school students can participate in STEM-focused programs covering topics like:
Coding and programming
Human sciences
Robotics
Science and research
Sustainability
Participants develop valuable skills, build their knowledge of tech-driven topics, and get a taste of college life.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Year-long
Deadline: TBD
This year-long internship program for Chicago high schoolers provides insight into STEM careers, develops valuable skills, builds experience, and offers college admissions coaching. Participants listen to lectures, tour workplaces, engage in leadership lessons, visit colleges, and receive assistance in planning for college.
Students who successfully complete the first year of the program are eligible for a six-year internship in health sciences, computer sciences, or IT services in their second year.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 19
Students in this eight-week summer program gain real-world experience with cancer research—learning about potential careers while working full-time in a lab under the mentorship of cancer researchers in fields such as bioengineering, cancer disparities, cancer immunology, and experimental cancer therapeutics.
The program is held at a number of Chicago-area institutions:
University of Chicago
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Chicago
Northwestern University
Rush University
At the culmination of the program, a research symposium is held, allowing students to present their work to friends, family, and the greater scientific community.
Ages: Freshman-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 12
This eight-week summer prgram matches students with data science mentors in fields including:
Biomedical research
Climate and energy policy
Computer science
Data science
Materials science
Public policy
Social science
Participants will develop their skills in research methodologies, gain firsthand research experience, and build valuable soft skills like teamwork.
Ages: Sophomores-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: December 1
This exciting program consists of two eight-week-long summer experiences (over the course of two summers) along with monthly activities to keep students engaged. Participants gain insight into biomedical careers while working full-time in cancer research labs. In addition to lab work, participants listen to lectures, engage in skill-building workshops, and build their network of peer and professional mentors.
The program concludes with a research symposium, where participants show off their work in basic, translational, and clinical research.
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Academic Year
Deadline: October 31
Students in this program meet one Saturday morning a month during the school year to explore careers in healthcare. Participants take tours, listen to speakers, engage in activities, pursue professional development, build lasting skills, and network with healthcare professionals.
The program is offered through six location-based chapters and the details of the program vary from chapter to chapter.
Ages: Freshman-Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
The University of Chicago’s Pre-College programs offer a number of options to students interested in neuroscience, including the three-week course Explorations in Neuroscience: Neurons, Behavior, and Beyond. Students in Exploration in Neuroscience learn about the research methodologies used to study the brain and gain an introduction to key techniques in neuroscience research.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Neuroscience Internships
If none of the opportunities above feel like the right fit, consider developing a cold outreach strategy to secure a neuroscience internship for high school students in Chicago. Cold outreach can feel intimidating at first, but our guide below makes the process straightforward and stress-free.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
You can find small companies that may offer neuroscience internships on LinkedIn. Small operations are often understaffed and more likely to hire a high schooler to assist with tasks like preparing posters and presentations, maintaining lab equipment, and managing calendars and forms.
When reaching out to professionals, look for personal connections—such as sharing a hometown, attending the same camp, or supporting the same sports team. Remember, it’s safest to connect with professionals you don’t know online; schedule interviews and meetings virtually.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Univeristy directories are an excellent resource for locating professors who may provide research positions. Remote research positions are rare, as high schoolers normally assist with manual tasks like setting up and cleaning lab equipment. Computational research is the exception, with remote opportunities available for students to analyze large data sets.
In general, a foundational knowledge of Python or R is required for computational research. Fortunately, you can teach yourself how to code for free, within a few months, using resources like Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
Plan to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers as part of your cold outreach strategy. Make sure to include a link to your resume and ensure its share settings allow anyone with the link to view its contents. Links are better than PDFs or Docs, which can cause accessibility issues.
If you don’t have a resume, now is the time to craft one—it’s something you’ll use throughout your life. Our resume template and tips is a great resource, providing everything you need to know about creating an attention-grabbing resume that will help you land internships. The University of Chicago also offers a helpful guide to drafting a resume.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
If you are unsure how to structure your outreach emails to potential internship providers, here are some basic templates you can customize to your needs.
Template for Finding an Internship
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Template for Finding a Research Position
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Professor/Dr. ____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I recently read your paper on [restate the abstract] in [name of publication] and was quite intrigued by [part you found interesting]. I was wondering if I might be able to intern for you over this summer. [Elaborate on your relevant skills and experience and why you are passionate about the field].
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Whether you’re applying to popular programs or reaching out on your own, the secret to landing a neuroscience internship in Chicago is sticking with it. These spots can be tough to get, but the experience is worth it for the head start on your future.
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